Pink and Red
by Izreina Maxwell
Summary: Marvelous is going through a rough time. Between the past coming back to haunt him, and a knock down, drag out fight with his first mate... He needs Ahim's support to get him through... I hate summaries... Rating may change depending on where my mind goes while writing
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: This is what you would call a companion fic, or a sister story, or whatever... to 'Black and Blue'... The stories will run along side each other, and relate to each other, and pieces that might be missing from one will be in the other. They probably should have been pushed into one story, but I figured there would be too much going on for one story... Let me know what you think...

Disclaimer: Don't own it... Just love it...

Kaizoku Sentai: Gokaiger

Pink and Red - Part I

It wasn't often, that they fought among one another anymore. Though Luka was constantly picking on Don, Ahim knew it was harmless. Her self-appointed sister hid her feelings very well, but Ahim could see right through it. Luka liked Don. Ahim didn't blame Luka for hiding her feelings, she grew up in a situation where emotions were a necessary sacrifice for survival. They were a weakness that they couldn't afford to have exploited. Ahim felt sorry for her friend. Though Ahim had a similar growing up. Oh, who was she kidding, Ahim's past was nothing like Luka's, but Ahim hadn't the freedom to love who she wanted, either. If the Zangyack hadn't come, Ahim was in line to wed some nobleman from some world she'd never heard of before. She missed her people, missed her family, missed her homeworld… But if she hadn't lost them… she'd never have met the pirates… never have met Marvelous.

An interesting fairy tale, isn't it? The Princess and the Pirate… Her journals were filled with pages of not only words that would empower her people if she ever found survivors, but words of her secret admiration for her captain. She treasured her journals. They were the only way she could express her true feelings. She'd never have the courage to tell Marvelous. Heaven forbid anything should interfere with the hunt for the greatest treasure in the universe. Ahim wasn't even sure he was capable of those kinds of feelings. And she wasn't about to embarrass herself by asking. Marvelous had taken on a heavy burden. Ahim knew all their lives were in his hands, and he was just as devoted to them. She saw that when Basco had captured them all to bait Marvelous. But was he capable of something more? She thinks she may have seen a little something in his eye every now and then. And his annoyance with Don and Luka's antics ran deeper than that, she knew.

And the latest fight among the crew, surprisingly, between Marvelous and Joe…

They all were confused. There was a reason that Joe was Marvelous' first mate. Not just because Marvelous found him first. Marvelous and Joe were best friends, brothers-in-arms. And Joe didn't give his trust easily, Ahim knew.

The battle against the Zangyack had been over for some time, but Joe hadn't returned to the Galleon. And Marvelous had spent his time alone in the crow's nest. No one else was speaking, even Luka and Gai were keeping quiet, as if the slightest sound would set Marvelous off. Tension in the air was so think, Ahim didn't think their sabers could cut it.

She didn't like it when Marvelous was upset, especially at his first mate. Of all the fights she had witnessed through the time she had been with the pirates, this hurt her heart the most. She had to do something, even if it meant spilling her deepest secrets to her captain.

She quietly rose from her seat at the table, not even giving the others a second glance as she headed upstairs. She could feel their questioning gazes, but nothing was said except for an "oomf" from Gai as Luka knocked him back into his seat when he tried to get up to follow Ahim. She gave Ahim a bright smile, a wink, and a small salute while she held Gai in his seat.

Ahim smiled softly, a little heat filling her cheeks. Her 'big sister' apparently was more perceptive than she had led Ahim to believe. She had to remember to thank Luka later.

Her hands were clasped together as she walked, more to have something to hold on to than for anything else. She hadn't quite figured out exactly what she'd say to Marvelous, which was odd. She was usually very, very good at speaking, saying exactly what needed to be said. That was the diplomat in her. But this situation required something more personal. And she didn't know if she had the nerve to say exactly what she felt.

She released her hands so that she could pull her shawl tighter around herself. She didn't know if there was a chill in the wind or what, but she found herself trembling as she came to a stop. She stood still, debating for several minutes whether or not she really wanted to make the climb into the crow's nest. Then tension felt heavier out here than it had inside. She could almost feel the weight of Marvelous' brooding. And she had a feeling it went far beyond the fight with Joe.

It was unusual for Marvelous and Joe to have been at each others' throats, sure. But there was something more. She didn't know whether or not she really wanted to invade his privacy. But she couldn't stand for him to be so withdrawn, especially after such a heated argument. That wasn't like Marvelous. It worried her to no end.

Apparently her subconscious took over at some point, because she hadn't realized she'd started climbing until she was in the crow's nest, staring at the back of that red coat.

"Marvelous-san…" There was a tremble in her soft voice that prevented her from saying anything more than that. At least he acknowledged her presence, that helped a little. It was a simple glance over his shoulder, but she could see that her presence there was a comfort. He seemed to relax just a little, though he remained silent for the moment. And he didn't ask… correction… _**order**_… her to leave.

Her trembling stopped as she found her strength again. She finally stepped up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. To her surprise, he reached up and took her hand in his. It seemed he needed something to hold onto, as well. His hand trembled around hers. She frowned as she placed her other hand on top of his.

"Please tell me what happened today…" Her voice remained soft, but the tremble was no longer there. At this point in time, she needed to be his strength. She wanted to be that for him. "I worry about you… I do not think it was the fight with Joe-san that is weighing so heavily on you…"

"Hn…" The corner of his lip quirked upward just slightly as he gave her hand a squeeze. So perceptive, the pink princess… He was glad she was. He'd come up to avoid the interrogations he was likely to get from the others regarding the fight. That would have probably led to another fight, with as angry as he was. But he'd secretly hoped Ahim would follow him. Just her presence was enough to calm him, and now that she was letting him hold on to her for support, he felt like he could talk to her.

The small smile quickly fell, but his hand remained tightly around hers as the other hand remained in his pocket, closed tightly around something very important to him. He needed all the support she could give him at that moment.

"Basco pulled me away from the rest of you earlier… He tried to bait me into fighting him. He knew exactly what would hurt, what would make me mad… I didn't realize Joe followed… What Basco had to say probably hurt him worse… Joe had every right to be mad at me…"

He could feel Ahim's gaze but she never voiced her question. A part of him hoped she would have, he didn't need this to be a one-sided conversation. He needed a little guidance through questions he knew she had. There was just too much information to go through, too many emotions that blocked him from saying certain things that were way too relevant to everything else.

He sighed as he withdrew his hand from his pocket, still closed tightly around a small object. He held it for a moment, trying to figure out the best place to start. He had to make himself uncurl his fingers from around it.

Ahim felt him begin to tense up again as he pulled his hand out of his pocket. She couldn't see what it was he held so tightly on to, not at first. But she couldn't hold in her surprise when he revealed it, a GokaiBlack Ranger Key.

"I didn't know there was a GokaiBlack…." Her voice was soft. And though Ahim was interested to know the story, she knew that whoever GokaiBlack was, it was someone that was very important to Marvelous and Joe, considering where the conversation started.

"This belongs to my little sister, Gamina… Basco had it…"

Well, that wasn't the answer she was expecting. She knew there were things about Marvelous they were still learning, but hearing that he had a little sister, and that she was one of the team, or should have been… That wasn't what she was expecting to hear…

"Things were so bad, while we were growing up… I never wanted her to worry, I never wanted her to get hurt… Wherever we were, at the time, I had her stay hidden while I did what was necessary to get the next meal, or find our next ride… I never taught her how to fight, never taught her anything that would put her in a position to get hurt… Gamina was too young to remember our parents, but I made a promise to them that I would take care of her…"

Ahim felt a sinking feeling in her heart as he paused. That was not a promise easily kept, considering what she knew about Marvelous' life. And the more she thought about it, the more pieces started falling into place. And she hoped she was wrong with where she thought the conversation was going. But considering who was involved…

"AkaRed didn't want anyone on board who couldn't protect themselves… The only thing he asked of Gamina was that she learn, at least, to use a gun… Just in case… I really didn't want to teach her, but with what AkaRed was offering, I could hardly refuse… But I couldn't bring myself to do it… Just the thought of her holding a gun made me feel like I was breaking my promise… So Basco taught her… She loved the attention she was getting from him… Eventually, he started teaching her hand-to-hand, but that was just an excuse for making-out… Pissed me off because he only did it when he knew I was watching… but I wasn't the only one protecting her, anymore… I hated it, but he put a kind of smile on her face that I would never have been able to…"

He had to almost literally bite his tongue to keep from saying that it was the kind of smile he had when he was watching her practice her swordsmanship, or the smile he saw on her face when she thought he wasn't looking. But it felt as if he didn't have to say anything.

Ahim repositioned their hands to interlace her fingers with his, still resting her other hand on top. Marvelous closed his hand around his sister's ranger key, sighing as he felt her head on his shoulder.

"She was in love with him…," she replied softly.

He nodded. "He… he hurt her most of all when he betrayed us…"

Ahim frowned at the tremble in his voice. And there was a long pause as he slipped the ranger key back into his pocket, still holding tightly on to it. There was far more beyond that simple remark that he wouldn't say. But she knew better than to push the topic. Instead, she remained quiet, holding his hand for as long as he'd let her, listening as he finally drew in a breath to continue.

"I don't think she ever fully recovered… But there for a while, she wouldn't eat… She wouldn't speak, unless she was screaming through a nightmare…. I… I didn't know how to deal with it… so I just left her alone. It wasn't until after we picked up Joe that she started getting better… She spent hours silently watching him when he trained… It seemed to be the only thing that kept her calm… Then, one day, she asked him to teach her… First words she'd spoken since the betrayal… After that, they were practically inseparable… It was a long time before she spoke to me… She relied on Joe… They trained together until they could fight in perfect sync with one another… I couldn't believe how strong she became with Joe's help… I gave her the GokaiBlack key… Because she and Joe never had a problem beating their opponents until they were 'black and blue'…"

"They must have been quite a team…" It was all she could reply, while she let the information set in. It was clear there were things that Marvelous wasn't saying, but she didn't need to hear them to understand. "It must have been hard for you… It seems Joe-san knew exactly what to do to help her… Did he know what had happened…?"

Marvelous shook his head. "The first he heard about Basco was the same as when you all learned about him… I always believed that what happened in the past, stayed in the past. There's nothing we can do to go back and change it…"

"But you never forgot about it, either… You still carry guilt over allowing your sister to get hurt… You felt angry about Joe-san getting so close to her, didn't you?"

"I knew Joe would never hurt her… And Joe knew from the beginning not to get too close… Even if I hadn't stressed it again and again… He respected that… Even when I noticed he had feelings for her, he never did anything inappropriate… He held her so she could get through her nightmares, nearly every night, but that was as far as anything went…"

He sighed as he pulled the key out of his pocket again, staring down at it.

"I was more mad at myself for not having listened to my instincts back then, and for not doing anything to help her cope… And I took it out on Joe because he filled that role… I think he ended up filling it a little too well… She couldn't fight unless she had him backing her up. She couldn't hold a transformation. She couldn't even use any of the other Ranger keys at all… I thought sending her to Earth ahead of us… alone… would give her the chance to gain some strength of her own… There were other reasons… But it was Mina who decided not to say anything to Joe… I suppose I should have…"

Ahim felt him rest his head on top of hers as he fell silent, and she knew that was probably all she was going to hear from him for the day. She understood. It was a lot of very personal information to relay. She was glad to have been the one he trusted enough to give it all to. Of course, she knew, and he probably did as well, that the others were probably at the bottom of the ladder, listening in. If they were, at least they were respectful enough to remain quiet.

Marvelous would have given anything to enjoy this moment with Ahim. But, even though he did feel a little weight lift off his shoulders with confiding in her, there was still too much weighing him down. Why did Basco have Mina's Ranger Key, when she had it when she left the Galleon? He didn't think he wanted to know the answer to that question.

The silence was broken by the ringing of his Mobirate. He sighed as he reluctantly let go of Ahim's hand so he could answer. Damn bird had really bad timing…

"_Marvelous… Zangyack is attacking! Joe's already fighting them… But… Gamina is there, too…"_


	2. Chapter 2

Kaizoku Sentai: Gokaiger

Pink and Red – Part II

Marvelous owed Navi… He was the only one that had been called about the Zangyack attack. Navi knew that he didn't want anyone knowing about Gamina. When he told him that it was only Gormin attacking, he was rather grateful. It meant that they weren't all required to respond. Not at that moment, anyway. There was an action commander, somewhere, giving the orders, but he and Ahim could handle things until they found him… At least, that was what he told the others when he ordered them to stay behind and help Navi search. No need for them to get involved just yet…

Joe and Gamina would probably have things with the Gormin taken care of by the time he and Ahim got there, that's _IF_ Gamina was fighting. He couldn't get the things that Basco said out of his mind. But Joe had always been Gamina's strength. A part of him hoped they could get there early enough for Ahim to see his sister fight. He couldn't argue with how completely synched Gamina and Joe were together in battle, and it truly was a beautiful sight. Gamina was a very capable fighter, as capable as any other of the pirates… as long as she had Joe's strength. But, alone, she had no confidence in her abilities.

Her dependency was his fault… Everything was his fault…

"You do not intend to fight…" It was a statement more than a question from Ahim that pulled him out of his thoughts as they headed toward the park. It was the only answer she could find as to why they were walking rather than running. She hadn't yet questioned his orders. She wouldn't, now. She understood his reasoning, probably better than he did.

She was worried about him, and the weight he carried. He hadn't released his sister's Ranger Key at all. Even climbing down the ropes from the Galleon was done one-handed, though it usually was… But it was as if the key was the only thing holding him together. She wished it was her hand he was grasping so tightly, she didn't care if it hurt her. She cared about him too much. But as long as he'd allow her to be near, she'd be there to give support.

He didn't answer for a moment, opening his hand slightly, staring at the key. He'd done it twice now, sent his little sister directly into harm's way, directly to the same bastard that had hurt her the first time. He didn't want to face her. But knowing how she had dealt with the situation before… He worried about her. But as long as she was with Joe, she was okay… right?

He felt Ahim's hand gently grabbing his arm and he snapped out of his thoughts as she pulled him to a stop, just before he took a step which would have resulted in a tumble down a fairly steep slope.

Ahim frowned at him as his gaze met hers briefly before she looked to the park at the bottom of the slope where several Gormin were down for the count. Looking further she could see Joe and the young woman, who must be Gamina, fighting off a few more. It didn't take them long to finish off the attackers. What little Ahim saw of the fight, however, was impressive. She'd spent many hours watching Joe practice. His technique, in itself, was beautiful. But this… the way he moved with Gamina… She didn't have words to describe it, and she knew many words…

"Your description of their fighting was not an exaggeration as you are prone to do… If anything, it did not do this beauty justice…" Her voice was soft as she let go of his arm, taking the first step to carefully make her way down the slope. She knew Marvelous would have rather led the way, but he seemed to need a little guidance. She stopped at the bottom, looking up to him with a soft smile, motioning for him to follow.

Marvelous' hand tightened around the key again as he gave her a small smile. It was very small, but Ahim would know it was an honest smile. He quickly followed her down the slope, taking the lead when he reached her. He frowned again, as he looked across the park to Gamina as she dropped her Gokai Saber onto the concrete sidewalk, as if it was on fire or something. Not for the first time, Marvelous wondered if making her a Gokaiger had been the best decision. He clenched his fist tightly around her key as he reached for Ahim's hand with his free hand. He needed the feel of her, probably more than he did earlier in the crow's nest.

She quickly took hold of his hand, squeezing it when she felt him tremble. "Do not be angry with Joe-san, Marvelous-san… This seems to be just as difficult for him…"

"I know…" The words probably sounded harsher than he intended, but she gave his hand another reassuring squeeze, anyway. He sighed as he tried to calm himself, but seeing Gamina nearly collapse from an apparent injury had him taking off into a run, releasing Ahim's hand so he wouldn't drag her with him. Or at least, he tried to let go of Ahim's hand. Ahim showed some remarkable strength as she tightened her hand around his, pulling him back.

"Please, let Joe-san take care of her… He needs to…"

"He _NEEDS_ to…?" He shot her a glare after he managed to regain his balance. But any annoyance he had was gone when he saw her face as she watched Joe and Gamina. Ahim usually had control over her emotions, maintaining a calm and collected demeanor. There were exceptions, of course, but Marvelous understood, it was the whole royalty thing. But when there was something she wanted to let through, she would. She squeezed his hand, letting him know how worried she was about him. But she never took her eyes off the couple in question. Marvelous couldn't quite decipher the look in her eyes as she watched them.

"Yes, Marvelous-san… Look…"

He couldn't help but obey. But he had no clue what it was that she saw until he had to make himself concentrate on Joe rather than Gamina. Joe had seemed almost panicked as Gamina stumbled from her injury, until his arms were around him. Then, Marvelous understood. He needed to hold Gamina, just like Marvelous needed to hold on to Ahim.

"He really does love her, doesn't he…?"

Marvelous didn't know what annoyed him most, the words she said or the way she said it, in that 'oh, how romantic' tone… He didn't want to agree with Ahim. But he couldn't deny it, either. He knew Joe loved her. And the one thing Joe would never forgive Marvelous for was sending her away.

"She won't let him treat her injuries… She won't even let me touch her…"

"Luka-san and I will take care of her…" She gave him a brief glance when he prepared to shoot her another glare. She shook her head. "You will have to tell the others at some point, Marvelous-san…"

He let Ahim lead the way for a little while as they resumed their walk towards them. The walk seemed a hell of a lot longer than it should have. Or maybe he was just walking slower. A part of him didn't want to invade. First of all, he didn't want to face Gamina, he'd failed her, sent her into harm's way a second time. Second, he didn't want to face Joe, for the same reason. Ahim ended up having to get behind him and push him to get him to finish the walk.

He frowned as they got close enough to hear the conversation. He stared at Joe's backside as they stopped, listening.

"You don't ever have to tell me anything you don't want to… I know you've been hurt… I knew that the first time we met… I never asked then and I won't ask now… Just… please don't run away from me…"

Even Marvelous understood what Joe hadn't said. It was the tone in his voice. But what really killed him was Gamina's response.

"What about Niisan…? He carries enough guilt…"

He had to release Ahim's hand before he gripped it tight enough to break it. The moment he did, he tensed every muscle in his body as he stood there to fight the tremble. He didn't know whether or not to be angry with Gamina. All those nightmares that she suffered through before Joe came into the picture… the words she never spoke to him… she'd known he blamed himself… but he wondered if she knew that it was her silence that had made the guilt almost unbearable…

"I don't ask questions I already know the answers to…" He cringed slightly. He did NOT intend for that to sound so harsh. And he knew that probably made the situation worse. He couldn't look either of them in the eye as Joe turned, Gamina clutching tightly to his jacket as he held her. It wasn't until his movement stopped that Marvelous and Joe stared at one another in a long moment of tension filled silence.

He forced a softer tone into his voice when he finally spoke, breaking his gaze with Joe only briefly to glance back at Ahim. "Mina… Will you let Ahim take care of your injuries?"

Ahim had remained quiet as she took a step forward so that she could get a better look at Joe and Gamina. She reached out, as if to grab hold of Marvelous' hand to offer support. She desperately wanted to hold on to him, to help calm him. But she decided against it. She didn't know if Marvelous would accept it there in front of Joe. But as she changed her mind, her fingers just gently brushed against his arm and there was a moment of recognition in both Joe's eyes and Gamina's when she finally got the courage to look up at her brother.

"Niisan…"

Marvelous didn't like the tremble in her voice. Things would be much simpler, not to mention easier on all of them, if she would just talk to him. But then, maybe that was also his fault… He could have asked questions, he could have offered his shoulder, his ear… Hell, she already knew he'd do almost anything for her, didn't she? ….Didn't she…? Maybe she didn't… Maybe he really was as lousy of a brother as he felt…

"Gamina-san…" Ahim's voice, again, brought him out of his thoughts as she gave Gamina one of her comforting smiles. The soothing tone in her voice was enough to break some of the tension in the air… It was the same voice she had always used to break up arguments on the Galleon. Marvelous was beginning to understand she knew damn well when that tone of voice was needed. She always knew just what to say, too… which was the only thing that held his tongue, at least for the moment, when she spoke her next words.

"Please, return with us, to the Galleon. After we treat your wounds, I'm sure Joe-san will escort you to your home, if you'd like…"

The glare that he and Joe both shot towards her were almost mirror images, but she kept her attention on Gamina, that smile remaining on her lips. Ahim was playing the diplomat, and Marvelous knew there was a better chance of her sensitivity reaching Gamina than there was of his or Joe's more aggressive tactics, which probably would have continued to push her away. But still… Ahim promising her something like that…

It wasn't until Joe passed him, carrying Gamina towards the Galleon that Ahim turned to look at him. Marvelous frowned at her.

"Escort her home? Ahim, the Galleon is her home, it's where she belongs…"

Ahim's smile was gone as she reached out, taking his hand.

"Cleary, it is not, Marvelous-san… Did you not see her discomfort? I know that you and Joe-san care for her, and I am sure she does, as well… But she does not feel that she belongs with us… I will do what I can to make her comfortable, but you must not ignore her request if she chooses to leave…"

Ahim knew he was going to need something to hold on to, that's why she took his hand, he knew it. And he also knew how right she was. He just didn't want to admit it. He just wondered if Gamina would at least give him some kind of explanation if she wants to leave. He deserves at least that much, if nothing else. He sighed in resignation as he felt Ahim move closer, wrapping her arms around his, laying her head on his shoulder. They stood there in silence for a moment, watching Joe and Gamina.

"Patience is needed, Marvelous-san… And that is something you have never excelled at. Perhaps that was what she found in Joe-san… More importantly, she needs to know that you care. She may not confide in you immediately, but at least she will know that you care about her enough to listen when she does… But if she chooses to leave, let her leave. You will only hurt her more if you fight her to stay…"

Ahim was right, he knew she was. He just couldn't make himself say it. He knew he'd been a terrible brother, a horrible protector. He wouldn't blame Gamina one bit if she didn't want to stay with him. But Joe… Marvelous knew she was afraid of loving him, but Joe had never done anything to hurt her, never put her in a position to be hurt… Gamina knew that. Joe would keep her safe, and would never expect anything, even answers, in return. And it didn't matter anymore whether or not she could fight without him. It had been made clear she didn't want to fight, or couldn't, for whatever reason. But…

"We should go, Marvelous-san… You and Joe-san have much to talk about while Luka-san and I tend to Gamina-san… Perhaps Hakase-san can take Gai-san with him to shop for dinner… That will keep them occupied for a few hours, at least…"

There was her voice, again, coming at just the right time to keep him from sinking so deep into his thoughts he might not climb out. And again, she knew just what to say. He had to smile at her suggestion of sending Hakase and Gai out to give them a distraction.

He was glad he had Ahim as a distraction for himself. If he got too deep in his musings, he might do something stupid… like getting into a fight that would hurt his sister worse… or doing exactly what Basco had planned earlier that day… running guns blazing into a fight that he would most likely not walk away from.


	3. Chapter 3

Kaizoku Sentai: Gokaiger

Pink and Red – Part III

Ahim knew getting Gamina on board and settled so she could be taken care of would be the most difficult part. Getting her up the ropes had been the easiest. Ahim was a little amazed at how much the woman trusted Joe, yet still had fears of a closer relationship. In all actuality, she shouldn't have been, considering Basco was apparently the root of her fears. It was understandable that she'd be wary of fully trusting another man. Although, after watching them fight together, there was still a part of her that was surprised. Gamina put her life in Joe's hands when they fought alongside one another, one wrong move on either of their parts and she could lose her life by his sword. Ahim had seen several moments through their short battle where that could have happened had their synchronization been off by even a fraction of a second.

But… women generally tend to guard their hearts far more securely than their lives...

First obstacle out of the way, they now had to deal with the three crew members NOT in the loop. Since Ahim was the outsider in the situation, she took it upon herself to take charge. Joe would most likely just ignore the others, but Marvelous' reaction was a little unpredictable. She knew he wouldn't be using her for strength in front of the others. His hold over his sister's Ranger Key would probably be the only thing keeping him from snapping. And Ahim was afraid of what would happen if he did. She had to make sure to keep the others from driving him to that point.

She made sure to hurry ahead of them when they finally boarded the Galleon, gently but quickly taking Don and Gai by the arms as she passed through the common room. She kept her voice a low whisper as Joe carried Gamina towards the crew quarters.

"Questions later, please. Gai-san, Hakase-san, please buy these herbs when you buy dinner groceries. The tea will help her with pain. Hurry, please…"

She gave them a polite shove after slipping a piece of paper, her list written in quick but still delicate handwriting, into Gai's hand, now taking Luka's arm and pulling her along as she followed Joe, not even giving Gai and Don another glance.

Gai and Don gave each other a questioning look, but neither of them voiced their thoughts to Ahim. They couldn't, as she moved too quickly and was gone before either of them could put a thought together, though Gai stuttered a few incoherent syllables attempting to as Don took Ahim's list out of his hand.

Luka had barely caught a glimpse of the girl as Joe passed with her, but she didn't miss the look in Joe's eyes. He was holding something very precious to him.

"Ahim…?" Luka looked over to Ahim, but she couldn't get the question out of her mouth. Luka knew Ahim worried about her friends, a LOT, especially Marvelous. But then, Luka also knew how much Ahim cared about Marvelous, even without her saying anything. She just now noticed their captain was missing. Her pace slowed a moment while she looked up and down the corridor, wondering where he was at, but Ahim gently tugged her forward.

"Luka-san, please assist me with Marvelous-san's _imouto_…" Her voice remained quiet and calm, but very controlled. Inside her heart was racing and she was fighting hard to keep herself from trembling with worry. She had to remain calm. The last thing that poor girl needed was excitement, which was why Ahim had been quick to get Gai off the ship.

Her voice had been so quiet Luka almost missed what she said… Almost… It was late in settling in her ears, but when it did, she came to a dead stop, pulling Ahim to a halt beside her. "His WHAT?!"

"Luka-san, please… the situation is very delicate, so please control yourself… Gamina-san is frightened enough… I will properly explain at a more convenient time, but at this moment, I must ask you to remain calm, for her sake…" Ahim almost lost control over her voice for a moment, but quickly recovered herself. She let go of her grip on Luka's arm and took hold of both her hands, her worried eyes almost pleading to her.

"Luka-san, please… Marvelous-san needs our support… Joe-san, also… We must not upset Gamina-san further…"

Luka frowned as she noticed a tremble slip into Ahim's voice. It was apparent to her there was a hell of a lot more going on between Marvelous and Joe than the fight that they'd seen that morning… the way Luka had seen Joe looking at the girl, and now knowing that the girl was Marvelous' sister… Putting two and two together wasn't hard, but there was more behind it. And Luka knew Ahim would make good on her promise to tell her what it was, so that was the only reason she nodded, silently agreeing.

"Arigato, Luka-san…" Ahim gave her hands a squeeze before releasing them, trusting Luka to follow her as she ran down the corridor after Joe.

* * *

Marvelous trusted that Ahim would take care of Gamina. That was the only reason he didn't follow them when they boarded the Galleon. That wouldn't have been a good thing. The more he dwelled on things, the more he knew that he was going to kill something. And the last thing Gamina needed was that kind of excitement. And she really didn't need the kind of excitement that was the over-enthusiastic Earthling, Gai. But he saw Hakase and Gai tiptoeing around him before leaving on whatever errand Ahim had sent them on. The girl was quick and gave precise instructions… Another thing Marvelous liked about her.

He remained on the deck, debating whether or not to return to the crow's nest. It was easier to think up there. And he needed to think. Ahim was right. He and Joe needed to have a long conversation about Gamina. He just didn't' know where to start.

He finally released the tight hold he had on his sister's Ranger Key. His hand was starting to go numb from lack of circulation. He hadn't realized just how much he screwed up, or just how delicate Gamina was. He knew he had been a piss poor protector, but… Was he seriously that bad of a person not to have noticed her condition? Was he that terrible of a brother? He stared at the key.

He'd promised he'd take care of her. It was the last thing he'd said to their parents before they died, leaving him alone to try to flee a burning homeworld with a toddler just barely out of diapers. All he did was shelter her. He took everything head on, fast and hard, so she wouldn't have to. He was the one that lied and cheated and stole, doing whatever was necessary to survive and move on so she wouldn't have to taint her innocence. He was an idiot… The lifestyle that he'd chosen, he knew it would reflect on her.

He was already a wanted man before the Gokaigers, before joining the Akaki Pirates. She was, by association, also a wanted criminal. He should have taught her, from the beginning, to protect herself. He should have included her in the things that he had to do. Maybe things would have been different. He knows she can fight, he's seen it, and she's strong. When he gave her the GokaiBlack key, he knew she could be stronger. He had faith in her. But he never encouraged her. Joe had been the only one she really paid attention to. So he'd left everything to Joe.

_Baka… Baka… Baka… _He banged his forehead against the mast several times, calling himself names with each strike. His hand clenched tightly around the key again when he finally stopped.

Gamina couldn't do anything without Joe, and it scared her. That was why he sent her ahead alone, to train, to gain strength and confidence. And she also needed space. Marvelous knew she loved Joe, even though she wouldn't even admit it to herself. Joe gave Gamina exactly what Ahim was giving Marvelous. Strength. Gamina just won't let herself accept that it was love. And she had wanted space to figure it out, though Marvelous wondered if it was to run away from it. Marvelous didn't blame her. To tell the truth, he didn't blame Basco, either. It was the bastard's nature. Don't get him wrong, he's going to make the son of a bitch pay, with interest, for the years she spent in turmoil. But he placed most of the blame on himself. So many things he could have done differently, he should have done differently.

He could barely hold his frustration in. Both hands were clenched in tight fists, the key threatening to crack under the pressure. He wanted to kill something, needed to kill something. And it was taking a very conscious effort to not go hunting for Basco. He promised Ahim he wouldn't do anything stupid. And that would have been a very stupid move. Marvelous was still very aware of the fact that the son of a bitch was strong. But his time was coming. Marvelous just wasn't in the frame of mind to take care of that, today. Even if he was ready.

Still, suppressing the urge to kill something would be easier if he had Ahim to hold on to. It wasn't until just that moment that he really thought about what was happening between him and Ahim. She'd known exactly what he needed when she climbed into the crow's nest earlier. And he knew only Ahim would give him the strength he needed, the comfort he wanted. She was the only one that could be the calm in the storm of thoughts and emotions running through him.

He'd always been attracted to Ahim, ever since that first meeting where she politely asked if they would let her become a pirate… the first lesson with the Gokai Gun, when he would have to hold her until she could learn to adjust her own weight and strength to compensate for the recoil… the first time she tried to help Hakase with chores… He had to admit, she looked pretty darn cute covered from head to toe in suds… If he'd have been any less of a gentleman, he'd have done something very inappropriate with her that night… First and only time in his life he ever hesitated to reach out and take what he wanted… It was very un-pirate-like… But it was a decision he never regretted… The more he'd gotten to know the princess… the more he admired about her… And he wanted much more than just an occasional romp in the sheets…

But she deserved something, someone, far better than him. A princess and a pirate was nothing more than a fairy tale, wasn't it? He'd spent many nights wondering what was going to happen when they found what they were searching for. If the treasure was as grand as the myths said it was, they could have anything they wanted. What if Ahim wanted a new Famille? Or the revival of the Famille that was taken from her? He heard the sobs, saw the tears at night when she'd be writing in her journals. She always left her door ajar just enough to let air circulate. And he usually stood just out of her line of sight to watch her. He didn't like it when she cried. He tried to tell himself it was because pirates don't cry. But there was one part of him that still couldn't let go of the fact that she was a princess. Princesses were delicate. Princesses cried. Then there was another part that wished he could make everything go away, make it so she didn't need to cry. He loved her. Damn it, he was IN love with her.

She might deserve someone better than him, but he couldn't stand the thought of her leaving his crew, leaving him.

Maybe he finally completely understood just what Joe had felt when Gamina left the Galleon…

"I am such an idiot…" He slammed his head against the mast again, a little harder this time. Okay, a LOT harder. He flinched slightly, rubbing the red bump on his forehead. He didn't mean to hit it so hard, but he figured he deserved the headache he now had. Hell, he probably deserved a good flogging for everything he'd allowed to happen.

"No argument, here…"

He turned a glare on his first mate as he approached. Joe passed him and leaned over the side of the ship, resting his folded arms on the railing. He didn't look at Marvelous, and didn't say anything else for a long moment until Marvelous came to stand beside him.

"Luka threw me out…" He still didn't look at Marvelous, keeping his attention on something apparently rather interesting on the leather strap he always wore around his wrist. Marvelous could see the tension in his hands as they trembled ever so slightly while he fidgeted with the tassel. Ahim was right, again. The situation was just as hard for Joe as it was for Marvelous, if not more so.

"Mina would have never let you look at her injuries. Ahim and Luka will take care of her." He stared at Gamina's key for a moment before he turned to Joe, handing it to him, still not looking his first mate in the eye. He figured Joe needed the strength the key offered far more than he did at the moment. He was satisfied with the knowledge that she was protected, for the moment. Ahim knew how delicate the situation was, and she could keep Luka quiet enough until there was a better time to properly explain. He hoped, anyway. With Luka, one never knew what was going to happen.

"It seems you and Ahim finally got it together…" He stared at the key for a long moment before taking it. "We all took bets on who would make the first move…"

"This isn't about me and Ahim…" He kept his voice low, but surprisingly even, considering everything. Marvelous was NOT about to let him change the subject. Granted, discussing what was happening between him and Ahim would be easier, if a bit awkward. First of all, that was something he and Ahim should talk about first. He wasn't even sure there was something happening. Second, it was none of his damn business… But what was happening with Gamina was.

"What did I do, Marvelous?" Joe turned the key over in his hands a few times, as if he was still unsure that it was real and just needed to see and feel every part of it to make sure.

"Nothing…" Marvelous leaned against the railing, his arms folded. He still didn't look Joe in the eye, he didn't think he could. He held his breath for a long moment before letting it out in a long, drawn-out sigh.

"It's not you she's afraid of…"


End file.
